PRESIDENT of the Guyana Press Association Neil Marks was among several persons in a minibus who were robbed yesterday afternoon at Vreed-en-Hoop by two bandits, who were armed with a handgun and ice pick respectively.According to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, the minibus, which was travelling from the West Coast Demerara to Georgetown just after noon, stopped to pick up two male passengers at the Vreed-en-Hoop junction, when one of the men made their way to the back of the minibus while the other took up a position close to the driver.
When the minibus reached on the East Bank Demerara in the vicinity of Eccles, the bandit who was sitting at the back of the vehicle whipped out a handgun, and pointed the weapon at passengers in the rear of the vehicle. He then began robbing those who were seated next to him while the other bandit directed the driver to turn off the public road to a desolate roadway that leads to the National Milling Company, NAMILCO.
On the lonely roadway, persons were reportedly relieved of their personal effects and valuables, including cash. The President of the Guyana Press Association, Neil Marks was reportedly relieved of several thousand dollars and a laptop computer.
Police sources who spoke with this publication confirmed that there was an incident and stated that of all the persons who were robbed, only one person, a female nurse who reported the matter to the police at the Ruimveldt Police Station.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that that the men, after robbing the passengers, used a mud dam to make their way into Agricola.

By Leroy Smith